


holding all this love

by impasgirlfriend



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Based on a Taylor Swift Song, Declarations Of Love, F/M, First Kiss, Idiots in Love, Light Angst, Oblivious Link (Legend of Zelda), Post-Calamity Ganon, Song: exile (Taylor Swift ft. Bon Iver)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-25 06:29:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30084900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/impasgirlfriend/pseuds/impasgirlfriend
Summary: based on the lyrics of exile by taylor swift (feat. bon iver)
Relationships: Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Kudos: 15





	holding all this love

Link was walking in the castle, curious to see how the rebuilding went, when he turned a corner towards the hall he could see her standing with his arms around her body, laughing, but the joke (he overhead) was not funny at all. 

Truthfully he didn’t want to be here in this moment, but Hudson was so proud of the work he had done on the castle he practically begged for Link’s approval, it was only a week since the worst day of the hero’s life.

It was worse than almost dying or fighting the Calamity.

A week ago the princess and the hero parted ways. It took her five whole minutes to pack them up and leave him with it. 

It happened right here in this hall. 

He still couldn’t fathom why Princess Zelda said what she did. 

But right now to his luck she didn’t see him and she left with the man accompanying her in the opposite direction. 

Link let out a sigh of relief. 

He thought he’d seen this film before, he was right, the master sword had caused him to have flashbacks of his previous recarnations and one of he didn’t like the ending. Most of the Links and Zeldas had fallen in love and spent the rest of their life together, except one, the Hero of Twilight. 

Him and his Princess Zelda parted ways after their victory. Twilight did feel for her but when he finally returned to Castletown from Ordon after a few months the princess, now queen, had gotten engaged. In that news he left and never saw her again as he thought it was too late to reveal his feelings to her as he didn’t know if she would feel the same way.

But that was then and this is now.

This princess was not the Hero of the Wild’s homeland anymore so what was he to defend now? 

Zelda was his town, now he’s in exile, seeing her out. 

***

She could see Link staring like he was just his understudy. Like he’d get his knuckles bloody for her, which he did in the past and she was sure if she asked he would do it again. 

Second, third, and hundredth chances balancing on breaking branches.

His eyes add insult to injury. 

Just a week ago Zelda dismissed him from duty. Link saved all of Hyrule, he was free to enjoy the rest of his life however he chose but he wanted to stay by her side but she couldn’t have it. The princess was in love with the hero. She was fully convinced he knew, Kass had sang her the song, that was accepted by him, just a few weeks after their victory. The song clearly described how the love she felt for her appointed knight unlocked her powers.

Yet Link never brought it up. 

Zelda thought she’d seen this film before, and she didn't like the ending, in her dreams a recarnation of her was in love with the hero but because of the fear that he didn’t reciprocate her feelings, she didn’t fight for her happiness and married someone who would benefit her kingdom. 

Zelda also feared her Link didn’t reciprocate her feelings and because he didn’t leave himself she had to let him go. 

She was not his problem anymore, so who was she offending by talking to possible suitors?

Zelda pretended she didn’t notice Link and walked towards the other side of the castle, leaving out the side door to the royal gardens, in hopes she would not run into him again. 

Link was her crown, now she’s in exile, seeing him out. 

***

Link had to get some fresh air so he stepped out into the royal gardens. 

Seeing Zelda again hurt. 

There was no amount of crying he could do for her. The night she basically fired him, never before feeling so depressed, he cried himself to sleep. 

All this time they always walked a very thin line. 

From the very beginning when Zelda hated him and then when they became friends and the land burned because they didn’t succeed and then when they did succeed it was never simple.

She didn’t even hear him out. 

There was so much Link wanted to say and ask, he wanted to keep being her appointed knight or even just work on the royal guard again, he would accept any job as long as he could stay by her side. The Calamity was gone but it was obvious they were destined to always work alongside each other. 

All this time he never learned to read her mind. 

Link couldn’t remember fully how their relationship was 100 years ago but in the few weeks they spent together after the defeat as she adjusted to living again, it was hard to figure her out. He tried to give her space, probably too much.

He couldn’t turn things around. 

Perhaps this was it, they would say their goodbyes and never cross paths again, he had to accept this is what she wanted.

She never gave a warning sign. 

Zelda was always sweet and genuinely most herself around him, or atleast that’s what he thought, they shared a story they could only understand. She was caring, always enjoyed his cooking, complimented him on his skills be it in the kitchen or in battle. When the castle finished rebuilding she wanted him to travel with her to see it. 

He didn’t even see the signs. 

It was shocking to him when she decided to set him free of his duties, he no longer had duties, he enjoyed spending time with her and being by her side was when he was the happiest. 

A warm feeling entered his mind calming his anxieties.

Link snapped out of his thought when the sound of footsteps alerted him back into reality. It was a sunny day with little to no wind. The royal gardens, empty, left much room for noise.

He turned to see the princess walking by herself in his direction. When Zelda noticed him she stopped in her tracks.

The two made eye contact.

Awkward silence.

He proceeded to walk towards her as she stood motionless. 

“Zelda...”

She broke their eye contact and looked down to the ground. 

“I don’t know any other way to say this...” his words were mumbled. “....so simply, I miss you”

This caused her to look back up at him. 

She took a deep breath. 

“I’m sorry, Link, I can’t see you anymore”

Confused he asked why. Her mind raced at what to tell him. The truth sitting at the tip of her tongue. 

Then she simply chuckled. 

“Why...why..I can’t believe you” 

In her mind it was so clear she was head over heels for him and she’d swear it couldn’t be more obvious. 

“I don’t know, Zelda, that’s why I’m asking” 

He genuinely didn’t know. She grew frustrated.

“Why are you pushing me away?”

“Because I love you and I can’t have you” she cried out. Her eyes filled with water ready to burst.

He stepped back in shock. 

Zelda loved him, how could he be so blind. In that moment he realised something even bigger. 

He loved her too. 

The admiration he felt for her was something way more than for a friend or a partner. 

“You already have me” is all he could manage out. She wiped away her tears trying to comprehend what he was saying. Before she could react, he cupped her face in his hands and pressed his soft lips onto hers. 

She no longer had to, it was clear. 

The two shared a sweet kiss as the sun set in the background and the sound of leaves rustling arrived as the wind picked up for the evening.

**Author's Note:**

> hi thank u for reading. just wanted to mention im not great with the zelda lore so idk which zelinks were romantically involved or whatever. but i love twilight princess zelink so i chose them bc they’re most interesting to me along with botw zelink ofc :) also exile is pretty sad but i couldn’t have a sad ending sorry hehe


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